East Northamptonshire church in the running for £10,000 funding boost

A church in Bulwick is one of five in the country that could win £10,000.

Specialist insurer Ecclesiastical encouraged churches to get creative and send in a visual representation of their role in the community as part of the Great Community Mural competition.

The five finalists - which include St Nicholas Church in Bulwick - are already guaranteed to win £2,500 with one church set to win the grand prize of £10,000.

The entries submitted by these churches will also feature as the centrepiece of The Great Community Mural – the printed tapestry of all the church entries that will be 10 metres wide and three metres in height - that will be unveiled to the public in October.

The mural will showcase the broad range of activities and support that the UK’s churches provide to their local communities.

After the official unveiling the mural will be taken on a tour of the country, visiting several cathedrals (Brecon, Ely, Coventry, St Mary’s (Edinburgh) and Wells) giving people a chance to come and see one of the largest pieces of community art ever created.

Michael Angell, church operations director at Ecclesiastical and one of the competition judges, said: “The standard of entries was outstanding and selecting the top five was very difficult.

“The effort that had gone in to some of the entries was extraordinary.

“What the competition has really highlighted is the wide and varied role that churches play in their communities.

“We’ve seen all manner of activities represented in the artwork; from helping the elderly and the lonely to running youth clubs, mother and toddler groups, and advice centres that support those with alcohol and drug problems.

“Much of this work goes unnoticed and we hope that this competition sheds some light on the important contribution churches make to society.”

St Nicholas Church is up against: St Peter’s Church (Dumbleton, Worcestershire), St Peter’s (Wilburton, Ely), The Church of the Ascension (Kenton, Newcastle upon Tyne) and St Edmund King & Martyr (Stoulton, Worcestershire).